Outdoor game



July 25, 1961 D. R. DEMALINE 2,993,696

OUTDOOR GAME Filed Aug. 15, 1958 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR: 170214117 1?. FEMALINE.

- ATTY July 25, 1961 D. R. DEMALINE OUTDOOR GAME Filed Aug. 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.' JUNALJJRFZMALJNE 2,993,696 OUTDOOR GAME Donald R. Demaline, 3955 Hillandale, Ottawa Hills, Ohio Filed Aug. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 755,239 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-95) This invention relates to an outdoor game. More particularly, it relates to an aerial projectile game and to apparatus by which one or more players may cause such a projectile to be struck or otherwise advanced from one or more bases towards one or more targets.

Outdoor games of this type may include hockey, shinny, sticks, and/or other boyhood games in which a stick is used to impel a puck, bone, or similar object other than a ball to a remote target.

It is an object of this invention to provide an exciting, competitive, easy to learn, economic outdoor game of skill.

Another object is to provide an outdoor game in which substantially any number of participants may be engaged, singly or in groups.

Another object is to provide new and novel apparatus with which to play such a game.

Another object is to provide a novel bag adapted for carrying the apparatus which is easily transportable around the course of the game.

In general the invention is directed to apparatus for a game comprising an aerially advanced projectile which is impelled from a ground base station towards a target at a remote place, implements for impelling the projectile, and novel devices forming the base station and the target station. The invention furthermore relates to the novel construction of such a projectile as well as to the construction of the other parts of the apparatus associated with the game.

The projectile comprises a short stick weighted and/ or rounded at one end and having a guiding means such as fins or feathers at the other end. This projectile is driven by a bent ended club implement or stick to hit one end thereof as it leans on or lays against a fulcrum block and again when it is in the air after being hit to raise it from said block. The fulcrum block may have a notch or groove in its apex into which the projectile rests before being hit and the block may be moved from the starting or base station as the projectile is advanced towards its target. Within a predetermined distance from the target the projectile may be conveyed by a scoop or hoe type implement into a cup type device forming the target. A plurality of targets or target stations may be located over a course, and the game may be scored by counting the number of hits, block movements and scoops required to get the projectile from each starting point or base station into its corresponding target at its target station. \If desired, a special bag may be employed for carrying the impelling and base implements around the game course.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a court or course on which the outdoor game of this invention may be played with a plurality of starting or base stations and corresponding target stations prearranged thereover;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevational view of one type of a projectile which may be used in playing the game of this invention;

FIG. 3 shows an end elevational view of the head of the projectile of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the head of a prgjectile having a slightly modified form; Y

tates Patent ice FIG. 5 illustrates a top plan view of a support or fulcrum block for initially supporting the projectile in a leaning position as it may be used during the game;

FIG. 6 shows a side elevational view of the fulcrum block of FIG. 5, and the slight concave depressions in the walls and apex thereof to assist in maintaining stability of the projectile while it leans against the block;

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged vertical cross sectional view of the block taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6 to show the depressions in the side walls and apex thereof, with a projectile being shown in full lines in a starting position against the block, and in dotted lines in two successive positions at the beginning of its trajectory after its upper end has been hit with the socking stick;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a target cup which may be used in this invention;

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross sectional view of the cup shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a reduced side view of the socking or club implement used for advancing the projectile during a game from the fulcrum block and when the projectile is in the air;

FIG. 11 is a reduced side view of the scooping or hoe type implement used for advancing the projectile within a predetermined distance from the target station;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 11 in the direction of the arrows showing the scoop blade of this hoe type implement;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one type of a carrying bag which may be used for the various implements and other apparatus employed in playing this game; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of one type of a target area showing how a boundary at a predetermined distance around a target may be constructed with a marking tape.

The apparatus as described in this disclosure lends itself to outdoor play on many varied types of lawns, courts, courses or playing fields and as illustrated in FIG. 1 may comprise a plurality of starting bases, stations or boxes A1, A2, A3, and. so on to a final starting box A7. Target areas B1, B2, B3, etc., corresponding with the starting boxes may be provided at various distances such as fifty to a hundred yards apart and at various places on a field and the number of starting boxes and targets which may be provided may depend upon the size of the playing area and the number of participants for the game, although if desired any number of participants may play at just one starting box with one target associated thereto. It may be understood also that relatively more starting boxes and targets may be arranged around a relatively large playing field or course, and more than one group of players may participate in a game.

The general procedure involves impelling a birdie or projectile 20 (see FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 7) from a starting box A1 to a target B1 using sticks as disclosed herein, the primary object being to flip the projectile 2G vertically into the air from a starting or flip block 30" (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) then striking it forcibly with the same stick while the projectile is still in the air from the flip movement imparted by the first stroke, with the second stroke being sharp enough to impel the projectile forwardly to or toward the designated target area.

The projectile 20 may be about six inches long and comprise a wooden body portion having a weighted knob 21 formed at one end thereof, with a metallic insert 22 being provided as an added weight therefor. The opposite end 24 of the projectile 20 may be tapered to an oval form, and have a tuft of feathers 25 or other guiding means inserted and secured therein to act as a stabilizing force and to insure that the weighted end 21 may be extended forwardly thereof during the flight of the projectile 20. The body of the projectile 20 may be formed of a circular wood-like dowel of about to /8 diameter as V 3. shown in FIG. 3, or it may have an irregular or square shaped cross-sectional form 21' such as shown in FIG. 4 to prevent excessive rolling of the projectile when it lands on the ground.

The starting fulcrum block 30 may be formed or molded of a plastic or rubber type compound or other material which may be light weight, shatter proof and durable. The block 30 may comprise side walls 32, and end Walls 33 all of which may converge upwardly and inwardly towards a central elongated peak or apex portion 34 along the upper edge thereof, which is less than half as high as the projectile 20 is long. In the medial part of this peaked portion 34 there may be provided a concave dip or depression 35 which carries transversely across the peak portion into the side walls 32 to form a shallow or notch cavity across the top of the starting block 30, thus providing guide niches 36 into which a projectile 20 may be leaned at the beginning of play (see FIG. 7). The block 30 also may be provided with one or more end holes 37 and/or a cord 38 through one of them to facilitate moving and carrying the block from place to place and starting station to starting station.

To begin a play, a striking, hitting or sock stic 40 (FIG. may be provided, which may bemade of wood such as hickory and may be of a length of approximately forty-two inches overall and may have a bent or arcuate portion 44 formed at one end thereof, which bend may have a radius of about twelve inches and be about ten inches in length. A wrist loop of rawhide or similar material 45 may be provided to assist in holding or carrying the stick while in use. In play, the stick 40 may be held in the hands and with a sharp downward stroke the arcuate portion 44 may be caused to strike the projectile near the tapered end 24 thereof in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 7. This motion will cause the projectile to flip over the block in a twirling motion, sending the weighted end of the projectile 20 upwards as indicated by dash lines D (FIG. 7) then continuing to a position as for example shown by dash lines E at which point the weighted end 21 may have risen to a height suflicient to permit a player to again strike the projectile as shown by arrow at F to impel the projectile laterally and forwardly through the air towards a target area, such as B1, with one of the objects of the game being to cause the projectile to land within the circular boundary of such a target area.

Each target area may comprise a circular zone 50 (see FIG. 14) and may be formed by describing a circle preferably having a radius of about ten feet from the center thereof. The line forming the boundary of this zone may be painted on the ground or consist of a band of cloth tape 52 and may be secured to the ground by means of nails or pins 53, the tape 52 being unwound from a supply roll 54 of suflicient capacity to form this circular boundary. At the center of this circle or target area there may be provided a target cup 60 or goal pot (see FIGS. 8, 9 and 14) which may be formed of a plastic or rubber compound, which preferably is non-tippable and of relatively light weight for easy portability. This cup 60 may comprise a frusto-conical outer section 62 having a diameter at the base of approximately ten inches with a top rim 63 of a diameter of approximately five inches and having a downwardly inclined conical interior side wall portion 64 to form a pocket or cup 65 as the main central portion of the target into which the projectile 20 is to be impelled. A drain opening 66 may be provided at the inside bottom apex portion of the conical cup 65 to afford drainage in inclement weather. An aperture 67 may be provided in the side wall of the target 62 to permit lifting, hanging and/or tying the cup for transportation and storage purposes.

After the projectile 20 is initially impelled from the starting block 30, the projectile may or may not alight Within the circular target zone 50. Any number of starts from a starting box may be used to approach the target 50 until the projectile 20 lands within the target area 50.

After the projectile lands within this circular area 50, a hoe-like scoop or hoe stick 70 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) may be provided to assist in bringing the projectile ulti-' mately to the target 60. This scooping stick 70 may be made of wood such as hickory, may be about forty-two inches long, and may have a hoe-like blade 72 adapted to he slid under the reclining projectile 20. Then, with an upward pull on the handle of the stick 70 by the player, the blade 72 will lift the projectile upwardly into the air and thus impel it toward the cup 60; the object being to have the weighted end 21 enter the cup 65 and come to rest therein.

In order to facilitate carrying various parts of the apparatus, there may be provided a bag (see FIG. 13) having a main compartment 82 therein to receive the sticks 40 and 70, and a strap 83 to permit carrying the bag from a players shoulder. Side pockets 84 may be provided outside the bag 80 to carry extra projectiles 20. A hook 85 may be provided to carry or support a starting block 30 by its hole 37 or cord 38.

In the course of play, a group of players may take a starting position at A1 (FIG. 1) and by striking the projectile or birdie 20 over the starting or flip block 30 with the sock stick 40, the projectile may be aimed at the target B1 to land within the circular boundary thereof. One type of scoring may consist of counting a stroke for initially flipping the projectile into the air, then the second stroke for striking it laterally toward a target, then repeating this flip and strike procedure until the projectile actually lands within the target area 50. At this time the hoe stick 70 may be used to impel the projectile the remaining distance to the goal pot 60, each stroke being counted towards the score. Thus outside the target zone double strokes (flip and strike) are required whereas within the target zone a single stroke is counted. This procedure is repeated throughout the consecutive steps of starting boxes and target zones until completion at the last zone.

The particular arrangement of starting blocks and target cups may be as shown in FIG. 1, or they may be laid end to end around a rectangular, circular, zigzag arrangement or any other shaped field or course. The particular sizes and shapes of the target parts may be changed within certain limits depending on the age of the players or the number of participants permissible within a certain area; the playing field being larger or smaller as a matter of choice similar to croquet or other lawn type games. While the target cup and starting block may preferably be of light weight plastic or rubber like materials, they may also be of metal or other material. Different color combinations may be applied to these parts along with the sticks, projectiles and bag, to facilitate selection and correlation of the pieces.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for a game comprising: an aerially advanced projectile whose length is at least twice its cross sectional dimension, a portable ground based projectile launching element having a base portion and a recessed seat portion above and smaller than said base portion, said seat portion acting as a fulcrum for the longitudinal side of said projectile between the ends of said projectile whereby one end of said projectile projects unsupported beyond said seat portion, a cup shaped ground based target element for receiving said projectile, a circular marker surrounding said target element to define a target area, a starting position remote from said target area for first locating said launching element and projectile, a first projectile motive element comprising a substantial- 1y constant cross-section stick having a bent end for striking said unsupported end of said projectile resting on said launching element to flip said projectile into the air where said projectile is to be struck again by said first motive element to propel it toward said target area, and a second projectile motive element comprising a rigid elongated handle having a flat portion extending substantially perpendicular to said handle at one end thereof for lifting and projecting said projectile toward said cup shaped target after said projectile has been projected by said first motive element from said starting position into said target area by one or more launchin'gs and strikings from each resting position of said projectile outside said target area.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said projectile comprises a knob portion formed at one end 6 thereof and a guiding means attached at the other end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 682,965 Taylor Sept. 17, 1901 1,700,440 Lord Jan. 29, 1929 1,935,370 Nekuda Nov. 14, 1933 1,991,671 Hodson Feb. 19, 1935 2,008,359 Lamb July 16, 1935 2,012,730 Reid Aug. 27, 1935 2,193,645 Raizen Mar. 12, 1940 2,432,209 Osgood Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 328,894 Great Britain May 8, 1930 

